Apply
Current Drexel students, transfer students, and incoming first-year students each have a unique application process. Applicants to the Custom-Designed Major receive support from Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff as they think through what they hope to accomplish through an individualized major and how they can reach those goals.
Application Process
Incoming students interested in Custom-Designed enter through First-Year Exploratory Studies. First-Year Exploratory Studies provides interdisciplinary-minded students the opportunity to start exploring Drexel’s academic disciplines from the very first semester. This partnership offers a Custom track within required coursework that both acclimates them to Drexel and supports their application to Custom-Designed.
For more information about applying to First-Year Exploratory Studies, check out Drexel Admissions or start the conversation with an Admissions Counselor by emailing enroll@drexel.edu.
Current Drexel students may apply internally to Custom-Designed as a change of major following the proposal process. Current students may propose a Custom major no later than the start of their fourth semester. In addition, applicants unable to meet academic breadth, depth, and/or complete all Custom graduation requirements within their graduation timeline are not eligible to apply.
All applicants are required to complete the following:
- Introductory Meeting: Current Drexel students interested in applying to Custom must meet with Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff to discuss their academic goals, learn more about the Custom major requirements, and review the application process and timeline.
- Vision Form: Applicants must define and explain the rationale for their proposed interdisciplinary major using this form. Prompts guide the necessary content related to personal and professional goals. All applicants must use the form shared after the introductory meeting.
- Plan of Study: Applicants develop a plan of study that details, semester by semester, a plausible curriculum for achieving the personal and professional goals outlined in their Vision Form. All applicants must use the workbook shared after the introductory meeting.
Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff provide feedback on drafts of application materials before they are sent out for a final review conducted by experts from each discipline.
If you are considering changing your major to Custom-Designed, the first step is to set up a meeting with Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff. To set up this initial meeting, contact pennoni@drexel.edu.
Transfer students may propose a Custom major, however, eligibility is dependent on multiple factors. Typically, transfer students must be enrolled at Drexel for at least four academic semesters. In addition, applicants unable to meet academic breadth, depth, and/or complete all Custom graduation requirements within their graduation timeline are not eligible to apply.
If you are considering transferring to Drexel University and pursuing the Custom-Designed Major, talk to your Admissions representative or reach out to enroll@drexel.edu. Transfer students indicate their interest in the Custom-Designed Major on the Drexel Common App or Drexel University Admissions Application, but will also need to complete the following:
- Introductory Meeting: Transfer students interested in applying to Custom must meet with Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff to discuss their academic goals, learn more about the Custom major requirements, and review the application process and timeline.
- Vision Form: Applicants must define and explain the rationale for their proposed interdisciplinary major using this form. Prompts guide the necessary content related to personal and professional goals. All applicants must use the form shared after the introductory meeting.
- Plan of Study: Applicants develop a plan of study that details, semester by semester, a plausible curriculum for achieving the personal and professional goals outlined in their Vision Form. All applicants must use the workbook shared after the introductory meeting.
Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff provide feedback on drafts of application materials before they are sent out for a final review conducted by experts from each discipline. Expert approval and acceptance to Custom-Designed must happen no later than July 1 for a fall semester start.
For more information about transferring to Drexel University, please contact an Admissions representative at enroll@drexel.edu.
Hello, incoming Dragons!
I’m here to give you some advice regarding the formation of your Custom-Designed Major! If you want to create an interdisciplinary major that draws courses from several schools/subject areas, then this program is perfect for you. First, you need a general idea of what your major will be and the career or outcome that you're looking to obtain from your major. Look at the Drexel University course catalog and see which classes fit your concentration areas. Having a basic understanding of what classes fit with your passions will be helpful for when you start to make your plan of study as well as writing your Vision, explaining your major. Once your first draft of application materials is done, you will have plenty of help from the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry staff, so feel free to ask them about any questions you have! Their feedback helps you revise your drafts.
The most difficult part of the formation of the major for me was fitting all the pieces together in the plan of study. Some classes are only offered in a specific semester, so you need to take time to move the pieces around until your classes fit during the semesters they actually run. And bear in mind, you can always make adjustments to the plan, so if you’re still debating about a few classes, that’s totally normal. Don’t stress, you can always ask for help!
Once your Vision and plan of study are through staff review, experts from each of your concentration areas review. They provide even more feedback about classes you should consider or opportunities that might be coming in the future. After a final round of revisions, you’re all good to go as an official Custom-Designed student!
Good luck with the creation of your major!
—Rebecca Graubart, BS custom-designed major in neuromedical studies & global healthcare '25